NotActiveException received in Serialization attempt

Question

I have a Serializable Class, posted below with some edits for brevity. I've set up my writeObject() and readObject() methods according to the documentation, but I'm still receiving the NotActiveException when the methods are executed. Can someone take a look at this and tell me their opinion? readObject() and writeObject() are down at the bottom.
My java version:
C:\>java -version
java version "1.3.0"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.3.0-C)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.3.0-C, mixed mode)
**********************BEGIN**********************************
public class DtkAuthorization implements Serializable {
private int level = 0;
private transient char key = (char)100;
public final static int HELPDESK = 1;
public final static int BASELINE = 2;
public final static int ADMIN = 3;
private String encLevel = null;
private transient File levelFile = null;
private static transient DtkAuthorization _instance = null;
// Some other static final variables are here
private DtkAuthorization() {
initialize();
private DtkAuthorization(File file, int level) {
this.levelFile = file;
setLevel(level);
* Return the instance of DtkAuthorization. If _instance does not exist yet,
* create it and return the Object reference.
public static DtkAuthorization getInstance() {
if ((_instance == null) || !(_instance instanceof DtkAuthorization)) {
_instance = new DtkAuthorization();
return _instance;
* Provide a way to get a separate instance of this class for admin
* purposes. This method returns a separate instance of this class
public static DtkAuthorization getNewInstance(File file, int newLevel) {
return new DtkAuthorization(file, newLevel);
* Return <code>level</code>
public int getLevel() {
return level;
* Set <code>level</code> to <code>newLevel</code>. This has the side effect
* of updating the encrypted authorization String.
public void setLevel(int newLevel) {
level = newLevel;
encLevel = xorEncrypt(level, key);
public void saveObject() {
try {
System.out.println("File is " + levelFile);
ObjectOutputStream oos = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(levelFile));
writeObject(oos);
} catch (IOException e) {
String msg = new String("Error writing file:\n" +
levelFile.toString() + "\n" +
"Error: " + e.toString() + "\n");
DtkMessages.displayMessage(null, msg);
private void initialize() {
// Doing some initialization stuff
private String xorEncrypt(int level, char key) {
// Doing some basic encryption stuff--not fancy, not expected
// to withstand decryption attempts
private int xorDecrypt(String s, char key) {
// Doing some basic decryption stuff--not fancy, not expected
// to withstand decryption attempts
private void setDefaults() {
setLevel(1);
//Serialization methods
private void readObject(ObjectInputStream ois) throws IOException, ClassNotFoundException {
ois.defaultReadObject();
private void writeObject(ObjectOutputStream oos) throws IOException {
oos.defaultWriteObject();
**********************END*************************************

Answer 1

Here's the two places the read/write are initiated. These are from two separate classes.
Here's the call that initiates the readObject() method:
public int getAuthorization() {
int level = DtkAuthorization.getInstance().getLevel();
return level;
Here's the call to the saveObject method:
void saveAction() {
DtkJFileChooser djc = new DtkJFileChooser("Choose file:");
int button = djc.showSaveDialog(this);
if (button == DtkJFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION) {
File file = djc.getSelectedFile();
System.out.println("dialog file is " + file);
DtkAuthorization da = DtkAuthorization.getNewInstance(file, authLevelJComboBox.getSelectedIndex());
da.saveObject();